9 Horrible Home Staging Fails You Have to See to Believe

Home staging, when it’s done right, can help sell a property quickly and profitably. But, what happens when it’s done wrong? Well, first, it can provide plenty of laughs, and then, second, it may offer some serious lessons about what not to do when you’re prepping your home for sale.

If you’re wondering what types of things you should avoid, look no further. From creepy marionettes to overcrowding an area so it screams “cramped,” Instagram is rife with #stagingfails. These photos, shared by real estate agents who couldn’t quite believe their eyes, illustrate how the wrong decor can potentially dissuade buyers from taking a longer look. Sneak a peek and make a mental note to skip these staging faux pas in the future.

1. Too much matching can backfire

A post shared by CherylHagymasy (@cherylhagymasyroyallepagercr) on Mar 7, 2017 at 8:04pm PST

It’s natural to want your home furnishings to complement each other, but this is taking it a wee bit too far. Here, the bed almost seems like an optical illusion. Make no mistake, it’s real—and it’s not working.

Points for creativity, but still. Rigging up your light fixture with a dog leash and collar, even if it’s to center it over the table, makes buyers wonder what other unusual hacks this homeowner’s got going on.

Aside from the bizarre fact that this marionette is dangling above the toilet, it’s safe to say that toys should almost always be relegated to a playroom or a child’s room. Though we suppose this might at least keep home buyers from taking a quick pee break during their tour.

Many consider the ceiling a room’s fifth wall, a veritable blank canvas just waiting to be adorned. While statement ceilings are making a comeback, this is just a little too much. If you’re drawing the eye upward, you want it to be for a good reason. This isn’t it.

A post shared by theBRELteam (@thebrelteam) on Nov 29, 2016 at 7:28pm PST

Even if you’re a feline fanatic, you may find this bedspread to be a little in your face. Most stagers agree: When in doubt, keep decor neutral. Anyone with a cat allergy is bound to run right out of this place.

8. Don’t draw attention to tight spaces

A post shared by Fresh Start TO (@freshstartstagingto) on Aug 23, 2016 at 8:46am PDT

It’s natural for homeowners want to make the most of every inch of their property, but unless one person is willing to hop over the table to dine, this cozy setup only points out that there isn’t a whole lot of room here. It would’ve been better to leave it empty.